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Specialty Blanks
Burl Woods
OTHER |
| Snake Wood Information |
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SNAKE WOOD FACTS
It's fairly obvious how Snake Wood got its name — although the photo on the right drives (or should we say slithers?) the idea home nicely. Found primarily in the rain forests of Suriname, a small South American country just north of Brazil, Snake Wood (Piratinera guianensis) is one of the world's most sought after woods. |
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Alternatively spelled as just one word,
Snakewood, the wood is extremely hard, heavy, and dense. In fact,
along with
Lignum Vitae, Snake Wood is
regarded as possibly being the densest wood in the world. Snake Wood
will actually sink in water, as its average specific gravity is an
astounding 1.30 (water's is 1.0).
Because of its expense — it is undoubtedly one of the most expensive woods around — and tendency to split, Snake Wood is generally used in smaller applications, such as pens, knife handles, pool cues, inlay, etc. Although Snake Wood turns very well, it needs to be stored and worked on with great care. The wood is hypersensitive to changes in humidity and temperature, so it should be stored in a climate-controlled area in which these conditions do not fluctuate much. Also, it's highly recommended to seal the wood with thin CA glue each time it is turned and/or sanded, which can help prevent potential checks and cracks from developing. |
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Snake Wood is naturally resinous, which
adds to its lustrous appearance but can be problematic when it comes
to applying a finish. One trick that works pretty well is to first
wipe the piece being worked on with a solvent before applying a
finish.
Piratinera guianensis trees can grow trunks up to about three feet in diameter, although the exported logs are rarely more than about seven inches wide. The wood's telltale black markings can sometimes appear in more of a spotty pattern than linear. Because of this, the wood is occasionally referred to as Leopardwood (not to be confused with Panopsis rubellens, which is an entirely different wood). Snake Wood will inevitably darken over time with exposure to light, but the black markings generally remain distinct. |
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SNAKE WOOD'S DIFFERENT LOOKS Click on Photos for Larger Versions |
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| SNAKE WOOD FINISHED PRODUCTS, CREATED BY EXOTIC WOOD GROUP CUSTOMERS | |||
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